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Archer Myles
Archer Myles = Thinker + Writer + Christian + Idahoan + Hand Model

3 Reasons Islamist Extremists aren’t America’s Only Problem

Originally Published December 2016

I’m getting tired of this.

Whenever there is a shooting these days (every other week it seems), the finger of blame has to be pointed at someone. Like the wheel of fortune, it spins around and whatever it lands on is taken as fact by vast amounts of people.

Spin!

Christianity. Because those darn Christians just hate Islam and Planned Parenthood and the rights of women everywhere.

Spin!

Islam. This is a popular one recently. It must be because they hate America and Americans and America’s principles and America. ‘Murica!

Spin!

I’d like to solve the puzzle.

What will it be next? Where will the ticker end up? Well, take your pick. Here are the usual suspects:

Depending on your political leanings, any of these might be where the ticker stops. The problem is: blame is rarely fixed on the correct thing. The problem is: usually the issues of a given society begins as issues with individuals. What we see isn’t in the abyss of Neverland, it’s within us. What we see is simply the manifestation of things that go on inside of us.

#1- Clouded Judgement

They care far more for their perverted ideologies than for the truth. When one gets indoctrinated with any kind of hate, there’s no telling where it could lead. These so-called “Islamic Extremists” aren’t living by Islam, they’re living by their own beliefs. “Christian Extremists” aren’t living by the principles taught in the Bible, they’ve found their own version of truth- which isn’t absolute truth. It’s simply a twisted adaptation of truth. A half-truth. Which is a lie.

Let’s remember that if everyone was “moderate” in all things, none of these atrocities would ever happen. Disagreements would be worked out and the parties would acknowledge that those who don’t share their opinions have just as much right to speak out as they do. Only when we descend into stubbornness and cult-ish clinging to these extreme ideologies do we see society suffer and innocents punished.

Extremists don’t usually represent what they believe they are defending/promoting. Usually there is an intense disavowing after each incident. It goes something like this:

“We do not condone violence of any kind, and never have.”

“That’s not us.”

“A tiny percentage of ________ organization does not represent the rest of us.”

We’re the good guys, in essence.

#2- Lack of an End Goal

I often think “what were they actually trying to accomplish in all this?” Did they think that this was going to solve their problems? A few of the reasons for this might be:

  • Individual Fame- I want people to remember me
  • Societal Change/Martyrdom- I died for a cause- rally behind me!
  • Simple Pride- this is the reason Cain killed Abel. He could have said it was a “mental disorder” or because he was favored less than Abel so he deserved it. Nope. It’s because he turned away from what he knew was right in order to do what he wanted. That’s pride. He cared only about himself. And that was his problem. And it’s ours too. The difference? The pride I have takes the form of treating someone unkindly, not killing them.

#3- The Truth

People are generally pretty rotten to each other regardless of religion. How many wars could you name off the top of your head throughout history? Hundreds? You can go to any century in the history of the world and see conflicts, violence, and bloodshed. Is this because of religion? Of course not. It is because we are fallen people and make stupid decisions that can easily be justified. They can be justified in one’s mind and spread like a cancer into groups of people. Sometimes large groups.

The truth is: a moderate and respecting people work out their problems without resorting to terrorism or violence of any kind. That’s why extremism breeds the kinds of tragedies we’re starting to get used to. That’s why we have to fight extremism. ISIS is the prevalent form of extremism that we face today. They have to be stopped, not given our sympathy.

And I’ll say the same thing to anyone else that resembles them.